Warm welcome to 2013

I wish a very happy new year to myself and to everyone. I am expecting this new year to another big and vital challenge.Every new year, my wishes and resolutions always slashed like a beautiful dream house made of cards. But i cant stop dreaming. So i have my wishes and resolutions for the year 2013 too. Well, i will miss the year 2012 more than any other year. This was the year which was full of happiness and sadness. In 2012 few of my dreams came true after many unsatisfactory years in my personal and professional life. I will miss the good times, spent with my close friends earlier this year , which unfortunately lasted only for seven months.It was the best time of my life and the saddest part is I will miss that time for ever and it is not going to come back. 

Finally i traveled abroad this year for my higher studies.I got admission  into a good college with a scholarship. The wait had finally ended after four years.It was a substantial struggle which produced sweet fruits at last i guess. I joined at Polimi, Milan in the beautiful Italy.I can't be more happy than this.It was my dream since childhood after watching Bollywood movies to visit the exquisite Europe. And i am finally here and basking about it. I became more closer to my family as I wont be visiting them for two years. I enjoyed my work in my earlier company and made good friends. 

Future is highly uncertain but I wish 2013 to be a very challenging year like my earlier years. Challenges makes me learn things. This year, i want to do good a my studies, travel Europe, meet new people and improve my personality and get a job. The simple things which I wish every year. But this year I will and I can make a difference. So finally  I bid adieu to my memorable 2012 and wish good luck in 2013 and wish me a year of learning and success. 

Still hungry for Hungary

Oh my my, finally  the trip to Budapest, highly anticipated, is accomplished. I wanted to start my Euro trip from some country and was looking for countries neighboring Italy.The countries neighboring Italy were rich in history which was my affectionate subject. So Budapest turned out to be cheaper and more feasible for my Christmas vacations. We four guys reached Budapest on 21st of Dec morning, The temperatures were around -3 degree C and at night times it was dropping more.When we reached, there were traces of snow and during our stay it had snowed on a whole day. We had never been in such cold temperatures.  The gelid climate was piercing through our clothes and woolen wear which were not at all abundant to confront the cold. But i wanted to experience the cold with minimal clothes and walk a lot. I walked a lot along with my friends a lot during my stay in the cold climate and it was a very good experience. 

Well,Budapest is really a very beautiful place. A word much better than ''beautiful'' should connote to Budapest. The city  under lights is breath taking. The bridges connecting Buda and Pest separated by river Danube, under lights is simply fascinating. The important bridges are Liberty bridge,chain bridge and Margaret bridge. The beauty of castle hill, the royal palace , hero's square were  very very much appreciable. I haven't traveled much of Europe, but I found in Budapest, all the attractions were equally breathtaking, amazing, beautiful and exquisite. The local cuisines are mouth watering. I tried the sandwiches and some dishes. It was really good. 

It is a small place and it can be covered  in three days. To see the museums, more time has to be spent. I was amazed at the history this small country holds. I spent nearly three hours of non stop tour to each of the national gallery, national museum and historical museum and i could just finish only around 30% of the things. I was apprehending the importance of their history. Most of the things, i was not at all aware of, but it was a very good learning experience. I was amazed at the way, the small city has been built.The underground railways, the trams, the bus services were very cheap and convenient. Excellent engineering and architecture has given sheen to Budapest. Not to forget the thermal baths. It was my first time and the experience was worth every penny. I would highly recommend Budapest and would surely add to my euro trip II.

My few shots of Budapest

View of Buda side from Pest.

Street view from Liberty bridge 

view of fashion street

St Stephen's basilica 

Fine Arts museum 

Castle hill at night  from Liberty bridge

Market place view 

Gellart Hotel and bath at Buda side

Liberty bridge from Citadella

Church in a cave at Citadella

Top of Citadella

Fishermen's Bastion

Parliament from Buda 

Entrance of Chain bridge 

Iron shoe models of  killed Jews 

Margaret Bridge from Margaret island 

citadella from Pest

Castle hill and royal palace

Danube from Castle hill 

Historical Museum 

Hungarian national Museum 

Hero's square 

Wafaa

Few lines written by my good friend for me!! thanks mate,



Koi kisi ko yaad karne ke liye jee raha hai,
Koi jeene ke liye kisi ko yaad kar raha hai,
Tune jise shiddat se chaha tha, usne to tujhe bewafa karaar diya,
Aur tu hai, jo aaj bhi wafa karne ke naye tarike dhundta hai.

My procrastinating 'Bucket List'

Have you made your bucket list? Well, I made it four years back. The ‘’things to do’’ list, I used to make as a habit, which I picked it from my father was modified to be my bucket list. I had removed the smaller and unimportant things from the list to make it compact.  Since am an enthusiast in travel, meeting people, adventure and an ardent dreamer, I just kept on adding things to my list. I never thought to retrospect my list. I thought that I would try to complete that however crazy the list sounds. Today, I saw my list, and was striking the things, which I had completed. I found that out of some 4-5 pages of things, I had just finished some ten. But in those ten, two were big ones which I never thought I would achieve. So I am happy about that. There are also few things, which I can surely not be able to do now, because I have taken a completely different turn in my life and they are implausible. Well, I will just strike them from the list to make myself happy, as they go into the completed list.

My list seems to be procrastinating just like me. There are things, which I could have done earlier and haven’t done them at all. Things which I would have tried to finish and were plausible to finish are untouched.Things like going for a trek to the Himalayas. I had booked everything and dropped it in the 11^th hour. I just cancelled it without any genuine reason. You can find several reasons to do the things which you like, but i don't know what happened, I just cancelled it  Well, it’s not ideal to blame the list; it’s me, who has to be blamed. The last few years, had been iffy for me. This made me procrastinate and in turn my bucket list.

Seeing the list which is now over four years old, made me nostalgic of my good memories back then. It also pumped in a rush of adrenaline in me to do the things which I had dreamed of in this small life. Hence to accelerate my list, by faring good bye to 2012, I have added a new thing under the travel heading. I will make this successful. As this time there would not be any 11^th hour cancellations, I am sure about that, due to the adrenaline, which just rushed in me. It’s full and final. I wish that this is the onset of balancing my bucket list in the future years.

Friends for life.

Friends—the word , means a lot to most of us. They are the integral parts of our life. Without them our life would be a void. They shape our life. Wrong people in our lives can derail our life.Every person, who takes birth, is taken good care by their parents. They teach them to talk, walk, and eat and many aspects of life as they grow on. They make them understand the difference between good and bad. We all learn this at home, so it is definitely our first school. The primary schooling is the second school, where in the teacher tends to take care of the child and imparts some education.  We attend many schools in life to understand about  life and the people who come into our lives, the roles they play.

 My parents taught me many good things just like every other parent does. My father was a military person, which made my staying in the house very stringent. I was a mischievous kid, and my dad followed the principle ‘’spare the rod and spoil the child’’. I used to get terrible shunting and beatings for the mischief which I used to do. I used to think; my parents never love me and don’t care about me. I was about 11 yrs old, when I was admitted in a boarding school.  Due to my jovial and easy going nature, I get along with people very well, and make friends very easily wherever I go.  During my hostel days, I made some good friends, but this was such a tender age and hence I could not full fill the friendship and understand its importance in life. Back in those days, communication was also a problem, which made fulfilling friendship when we were away. I made a very good friend, with whom, I spent all my time, and we were in the same class but different section. In the evenings, we used to take a stroll. During our stroll, we used to crack jokes, talk about cricket, general knowledge questions. He was the one who taught me cricket. He used to sing the movie songs for me. He was almost a good and close friend of mine. After I left the boarding school, I missed him a lot. I tried writing to him, but there were no replies, and when I first used orkut, I was unable to find him, but I was successful in finding my other friends. But after I used Facebook  I found him in 2011. It was such a nice feeling, when the person remembers you after 15 yrs. I wanted to meet him, but I could not. But I will surely meet him one day, and surely cherish my good old times with him.

After I joined my higher secondary schooling, I met with few people, in 2002. They are still my good friends, in fact very good friends. I am still in touch with them. In 2005, I joined my graduation, and I still made many good friends. But I think graduation was the time, where my life was tending to teach me lessons, which made my life sad, and in pain. These negative things imbibed in me, I could not be the happy and jovial me. I was so much in depression, and agony that it had surely veiled my true self. I was not very close to my parents. During this time, my friends were the ones, who helped me. They talked to me, listened to me, and shared with me their thoughts, ideas. For my nature, the number of friends which I should have, have reduced drastically. But the friends in this small number were so good to me, so very helpful. They were the people, with no arrogance, no ego and  good at heart. They never hated me. They solved my problems. They were with me to until I got what I wanted. I had their motivation, their encouragement. They are the people, who have shaped and pushed me. I am indebted to them all my life.They were the angles in my life. 

In life, we are close to our parents initially, then during and after our teenage, we become close to friends, and they are the people who either shape or deform you.  And after you get married, your wife becomes your good friend, but you should never forget the people, who have influenced or taken care of your life. I attended many schools of life, to learn many things about life and people. It was a very good experience. I am so much thankful to my life, which has introduced to me, such wonderful people. Without you guys, I would have not been what I am.  

zindagi ki ek khoj..

woh mere kuch khayal...


aati hai tu sapno mein har roz,
yaadein humhare guzare hua din ke, hai amlaan,
nahin bhool pavunga woh sare meethe pal,
tu hi tho hai mera dil aur meri saansein.

kabhi na khabi hojayegi kisi aur ki tu.
phir bhi mere sapno mein aati rahegi har roz.
zindagi mein kabhi bhi nahin milegi kisi roz,
tere liye meri saari zindagi banjayegi ek khoj.

Aparimit prem

dekha tha tere saath sapne bade bade,
pyar ke liye dono is duniya ke saat lade.

lekin kismet ki thi kuch aur hi chaal,
hone nahin denge humare mohabaat ka intekaal.

Milegi nahin humko thodi bhi raahat,
jab tak nahin jeetenge jung kismet ke saat,

hamesha, tu aur main rahenge ek duje ke liye,
Nahin denge khud ko saza is duniya ki berukhi ke liye.

A day with bewitching Bologna

It was on 2nd of Nov, late at night when my friend Umutcan, forced me and my roommate Prince for the trip. I with lot of hesitation, agreed to him. I was not at all willing to move away from my couch and cozy room. My place Piacenza has made me more tardy and lazy. Also I am doing exceptionally well at procrastinating almost everything. I had made many plans to visit Milan, Como and Lecco but my laziness was stopping me to go. But i guess Bologna, was a place which had beauty in every nook. Its one of the oldest historical place. The buildings, the color of the buildings, the pleasant climate, the people,and all together the atmosphere of the place was appalling to the eye and mind which helped me forget my other mental problems. So it was on 3rd morning when me, Umut, Prince and Juan got ready to visit Bologna, and we boarded the train at 8 17 am at Piacenza. We reached the place by 10 10 am, and Juan whom we had woken up from a terrible sleep, boarded the train without a ticket, and unfortunately he had to get down at the next station to avoid a terrible fine. He told us not to buy the ticket and also was at the station well in advance. This can happen when you sleep late talking to your gf and have to wake up early for a trip on a chilly morning. I am sorry for him to miss such a nice trip. At Bologna we had a quick breakfast and started walking.This is a small place and Umut had marked the important places in google maps which made things easy. So from the station we started to walk to wards the oldest university, University of Bologna, which was built in 1088 AD. This is such a big university and it is well maintained with the relevance of its history enticing the naked eye.

The pic shows one of the buildings of the economics department in the university. The pathway underneath the arches is a very long one, and the other  departments can be seen on both the sides. It was a very delightful walk in the lane, to see the departments. The thing which catches your eye is that color of the buildings, which are different for each of the building but are very soothing to the eye to watch. I had read sometime long back, that Bologna is a very beautiful place and I could see, what was everyone talking about. After walking around the place for some time, we walking towards Piazza Maggiore which is around 45mins walk from the railway station, if and only if you walk slowly looking at all the places and universities on the way. A brisk walk can take you in less than 30 mins. Piazza Maggiore is the place, where half of Bologna, is .The two towers, the cathedral,the fountain of neptune etc. 

On our way to Piazza Maggiore, The two towers were in the visibility slowly just like a giant dinosaur hiding in front of a big building ( of course there were no buildings during the age of dinosaur) I had to have a high angle of elevation to capture the height of  the tower.It was like seeing the skeleton of leaning tower of Pisa. 

These are the two towers, well the inclination is also clearly visible. I didn't have the time to know about its history as it was just a one day trip and had to see many things with ease. So have to rely on google to know about its history. I dont mind going one more time to know about its history. 

We took many snaps, here, as each one of us wanted a full pic with the two towers in it. A better camera would have captured our faces much clearer. After seeing the twin towers, we talked down the street in front of the towers, which took us to the cathedral. The walk from the two towers takes you to the beautiful streets of Bologna and the duomo.walking towards the Duomo you first meet with the fountain of Neptune, which is very artistic and the sound of water from it is like listening to some mind revival music. We took few shots here.

Street infront of two towers

Fountain of Neptune  , Prince and me

We then visited the cathedral. This cathedral is too breathtaking and very beautiful just like all other cathedrals in Italy. Its beauty, the paintings on the walls, the history associated with it and the mental peace which you get in a holy place. But photography is not allowed in side the church.

duomo

We also went to the terrace of duomo, by paying 3 euros and i dont have words to say about its beauty. Just see the pictures.

straight view from the duomo

view opposite to the face of duomo

left side view from the duomo

At the top of duomo

It was a great trip for a day, it eased my mind, and i walked a lot to see the place around which in itself a good exercise. There are many more places to visit like the Osteria del Sole which is since 1645 and its a very famous hangout place for the local guys and tourists. Here you only get booze, finest of wines. You have to grab your food from some other place, buy the wine here and enjoy with your family and friends. The wine here is worth trying. It is just for 2euros. 

We then returned to the station in the evening to catch the 6 24 pm train, and we went were in a very hurry to buy the ticket, pack the dinner and board the train and we boarded a wrong train and went to the other side of Bologna. It was after half and hr I realized, we are moving in the wrong direction and at Imola we got down and took the ticket to Bologna, and from there used the same ticket to Piacenza. Wasted 2 hours here, but the day and the whole time spent was worth remembering. 

P.S.: sorry for the bad english, cohesion etc, it was after 2yrs i felt like writing.